Jointly organised by the Builders' Association of India (BAI) and the Kalabhavan Architect Alumni Foundation, the event aimed to galvanise the development of the construction and building industry to improve standards of urban and rural infrastructure in the face of global competition.

The seminar featured discussions on infrastructure development from the financial and management aspects, dispute settlement and arbitration, legal and technical aspects of contract management, appraisal about the new arbitration law and achievement of quality construction without extra cost or time.

Speaking to Express Newsline on Tuesday, organising committee member and former vice-president of the BAI, Jagdish Parekh said, ``Whatever announcements the Union Government may make or the assistance HUDCO extends, it is high time the government machinery stopped pretending that they are bringing out schemes that benefit the masses''.

According to Parekh, to have an affordable house, international standards recommended five years of annual income to be invested in housing after taking care of property taxes, maintenance and installments. ``However, in India an average householder has to invest a minimum of 15 years of income in order to afford a house. So, unless we go to the root and find means to reduce the total cost of a house, it will be impossible to provide housing for all,'' he concurred.

While stressing on the need for the State to repeal the Urban Land Ceiling Act, the BAI urged the government to take the initiative and free thousands of hectares of urban land for housing. ``With the availability of more land, market prices will automatically go down in accordance to the rules of demand and supply. Secondly, it will also discourage builders from resorting to corrupt practises to acquire land,'' Parekh pointed out.

BAI also highlighted procedural delays in getting approvals for construction plans which sometime takes up to two years. ``Simply because of the time lost in waiting for an approval, the price of a plot that cost Rs 40 lakhs could rise to Rs 200 lakhs. And because of the unnecessary interest on investment and overheads, it is the common man who has to pay more to get the house that would have been cheaper with quick clearance,'' pointed out city BAI chairman Ashok Patel.

The builders have highlighted the need for the State to release land at a special price for development of complete townships to restrict growth of unplanned and unhygienic areas. They stressed on assimilation of architects, builders, engineers and contractors to construct durable, cost-effective accommodations.

In a response to the BAI's suggestion for the establishment of training centres for skilled workers such as masons, carpenters and plumbers, HUDCO Chairman V Suresh assured assistance of Rs 20 lakhs. The builders also urged for concessions to low and middle-income groups on housing stamp duty.